Three Days
by ClarksGirl
Summary: You have three days.


While technically Three Days is a standalone, it's a 'what if' alternative universe look at my Unconventional Mom universe. What if Kate had left at the end of Chapter Nine: Even on the Worst Days. You don't need to read An Unconventional Mom to understand there is an already established relationship between Kate and Alexis. And apparently I still don't own Castle.

After watching Mr. and Mrs. Castle…repeatedly, this story kept running around in my head, and I just had to get it out. It's my take on how Alexis dealt with the separation of her parents.

Once again I can't thank 41319always41319 enough for being my beta, sounding board and her ongoing support and encouragement. And don't worry; I'm currently working on the next chapter of Unconventional Mom.

 **Three Days**

Kate gently eased herself from her husband's embrace and placed a loving kiss on his forehead. She'd been desperate for the bathroom and sustenance since Rick's fourth round of 'naked punishment', but couldn't bear the thought of leaving his arms. Well that and he'd had her wrapped in a bear hug for most of the night.

Her muscles screamed from overuse as Kate rose from the bed, but felt comfort at the delicious ache between her legs. It was the physical proof of how much her husband had worshiped her, and, she blushed, at how many times Rick brought her to orgasm.

Stifling a groan, Kate moved towards the bathroom to freshen up and relieve her protesting bladder before going in search of food. Snagging Rick's shirt and boxers from the floor, Kate quickly dressed before leaving the safe haven of their bedroom. While she had no issue walking around naked, she wasn't sure if their daughter had come home or not.

Kate exited the bedroom, ensuring not to wake her husband as she quietly closed the door, feeling a blush spread up her neck. Had Alexis indeed come home, she would have caught quite the eye full as she walked past her parents' open bedroom door.

The rumbling of her stomach reminded Kate why she'd left the comfort of her husband's arms in the first place, so she made her way across the living room to the kitchen. Food was the next order of business, and if she was going to be 'punished' in round number five tonight, they'd both need the energy.

As she neared the dining room table, Kate caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. Looking towards the couch, she could just make out a mass of red hair on the armrest closest to her. Kate quietly moved towards the couch to check on her daughter, and just managed to stifle a gasp as she quickly covered her mouth with her right hand.

Alexis was sound asleep, curled in the foetal position. What broke Kate's heart was that the young redhead had wrapped herself in the jacket Kate had worn to the loft tonight, clutching at the lapels like a security blanket. Kate debated as to whether she'd let her daughter sleep when she heard a quiet groan from the young woman as she roused from sleep.

'Alexis?' Kate whispered tentatively.

Alexis blinked sleepily at the older woman standing in front of her. 'Kate…I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you,' Alexis apologised as she rubbed her eyes like a little girl. 'I just stopped off to grab a couple of things…I didn't mean to fall asleep.' Kate noted that Alexis made no attempt to remove her jacket; instead Alexis clung to it as she sat up. 'I'll be out of your way in a minute.'

'Honey, you didn't wake me,' Kate soothed as she sat next to her daughter and clasped her hand. 'Alexis, why were you grabbing things? Are you not living here anymore?' Kate was surprised that Rick hadn't told her Alexis had moved out, even if they had been separated.

'I've been staying with Grams,' Alexis explained. 'With you moved out and dad sleeping at his office most nights….I didn't want to stay here. It wasn't home without you and dad,' she whispered.

'Oh, Alexis.' With spending her every waking moment trying to locate Locsat, and hiding what she was doing from Rick to keep him safe, Kate didn't realise how much she'd hurt her daughter in the process. 'I'm so sorry….Oh honey I'm so sorry,' Kate apologised as she pulled the young woman into her arms despite the fact she was dressed in nothing but Rick's dress shirt and boxers. And it suddenly hit her how much she'd missed her daughter.

Alexis clung to Kate as she buried her head in the older woman's neck, and let go of all the hurt and anger and loneliness she'd bottled up as she tried to stifle her sobs. She didn't realise she was talking until Kate pulled back to cup her face and soothe her hair away from her eyes. 'What was that sweetheart?' Kate asked. 'I didn't understand a word you just said.'

'Are you home for good now?' Alexis hiccupped.

'Alexis…'

'I'll move out,' the young woman exclaimed. 'If it'll make you come home, I can move out, and I'll stop working with dad…and I'll do anything if you come home, because I miss you….and I just want you to come home.' Kate tried to calm Alexis as the young woman began to hyperventilate.

'Honey, oh Alexis no. I don't want you to move out. I want you to come home, and I want you to continue working with your dad and working at the morgue,' Kate soothed. 'You are still working at the morgue aren't you?' Kate joked.

'Yes Kate,' Alexis groaned as she rolled her eyes. 'Why does everyone keep asking me that?' she complained as she wiped her face with the sleeve of her shirt.

Kate laughed before turning serious again. 'But in all seriousness, me leaving had nothing to do with anything your dad did,' Kate confessed. 'I should've been honest with your father instead of pushing him, and you, away in a misguided effort to keep my family safe,' she said, looking down with shame and embarrassment. 'But I want to stress to you, that at the time, I had my reasons for leaving. I fell into old habits and I allowed my stubbornness and stupidity to rule my decision making.'

'That's what I kept telling dad,' Alexis whispered. 'Not the stubbornness and stupidity bit,' Alexis giggled as Kate shot her an incredulous look. 'But you had your reasons, and to trust you.'

'Really?' Kate was blown away. In all of this mess she'd created, her daughter never gave up on her.

'Really,' Alexis confirmed. 'So are you home now?' Alexis asked again.

'Is it okay if I come home?' Kate asked, needing to give Alexis the power over the decision.

'It's more than okay,' Alexis smiled. 'I want you and dad to come home more than anything.' Kate gently wiped the tears that were still trickling down her daughter's cheeks. 'I just want my family back,' Alexis sobbed as she finally broke down.

'I want that more than anything too,' Kate soothed as she pulled her daughter into her arms again. Rocking the young woman, like a mother would soothe an unsettled toddler, Kate felt Alexis sink further into her embrace until Alexis was completely slumped against her.

'Kate!?' Kate held back a laugh as she watched her husband rush through the bedroom door and skid to a halt in the middle the living room.

'Ah Babe? You might want to put some clothes on,' Kate suggested as she took in her husband's ruggedly handsome and very naked body.

'I would, but someone's already wearing them,' Rick teased as the adrenaline left his body.

'Well I was hungry and came looking for food, but found Alexis asleep on the couch instead,' Kate murmured as she held the young woman close. 'Babe seriously, go put some clothes on before you scar your kid for life,' Kate smiled.

'Right…I'll be right back,' Rick said. He was struggling to pull himself away from the image of his wife comforting his daughter. 'But she's still our kid,' Kate just made out as Rick entered their bedroom.

'You okay there sweetheart?' Kate asked Alexis. The young woman nodded, but didn't move from the safety of Kate's arms. 'Your dad will be out again in a minute, this time with clothes on,' Kate sassed as she felt Alexis smile against her neck.

Rick appeared from the bedroom again, in sweats and a t-shirt, and headed directly for the couch. Kate shifted so he could sit beside her, and turned slightly as she relaxed her back against her husband's chest.

'Hey pumpkin,' Rick murmured as he wrapped his arms around his wife and daughter.

'Hey dad.'

'Why don't you head up to bed?' he suggested.

'Just a little while longer, please,' Alexis whispered.

'She's okay Rick,' Kate soothed. 'But I'm still hungry,'

'Fine,' Rick huffed, as he extricated himself from the couch. 'What're you in the mood for?' he asked around a yawn as he moved towards the kitchen. Had Rick been looking at his wife's face, he'd be dragging her back to their bedroom for round five, six, and seven.

'Something with lots of calories,' Kate replied cryptically.

'Alexis are you hungry?' her dad yelled from the kitchen.

'I'm good. Thanks dad,' the young woman sat back from Kate, and leaned back against the couch. 'I'm still recovering from Gram's cooking,' Alexis teased as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

'Are you sure you don't want to head up to bed?' Kate asked, but regretted asking the question when she saw the look of disappointment on the young woman's face.

'No, I'll just grab the stuff I stopped by for and go,' Alexis sighed as she went to rise from the couch.

'Honey its two o'clock in the morning,' Kate said worriedly as she moved to stop Alexis from getting up. 'Why don't you stay here tonight, and tomorrow you can bring all your stuff home from Martha's,' Kate suggested.

'Kate's right sweetheart,' Rick agreed as he stood over the frypan, adding what looked like marshmallows and chocolate chips to whatever he was cooking. 'Sure you don't want anything to eat?' her dad asked again.

'Not if you're cooking smorelettes,' Alexis grumbled as she looked between her father and mother.

Kate thought back to the conversation she'd had with Doctor Burke just after her kidnapping by 3XK. Wanting to pre-empt Alexis' instinctual need to cling, Kate had spoken to her therapist to get some strategies on how to help with Alexis' insecurities. Kate just hoped it worked.

'Sweetheart, I want to make a deal with you OK?' Kate asked as she sat back.

Alexis looked at Kate with suspicion. 'What sort of deal?'

'I know how you get, when the people you love disappear from your life,' Kate started. 'You want to know where they are twenty four hours a day. You need to be with them like you did with your dad, and that's a normal reaction,' Kate tried to assure Alexis. She could see the younger woman moving to shut her out.

'So all you're worried about is if I'm going to hover over you?' Alexis challenged.

'No that's not what I mean,' Kate assured.

'Pumpkin, just hear Kate out okay?' Rick sighed as he moved from the stove to the refrigerator.

'Ok so what's the deal?' Alexis asked.

'You get three days,' Kate smiled at her daughter's confused look. 'You get three days to cling to me or your dad, however you want, however much you want….within reason of course,' Kate joked. 'If you want to sit on the couch and just hang out all day with me, I will, you want to wait on us hand and foot, you can, if you want me to sit with you until you fall asleep, I will,' Alexis couldn't help the suspicious look she was giving the older woman. 'But,'

'I knew there was going to be a 'but' in there somewhere,' Alexis grumbled.

'But,' Kate continued. 'You have to see a therapist,' Kate was ready for Alexis' objection. 'That parts not negotiable. You can go back to Doctor Burke, or you can see someone else, but you need to see someone. And you and I need to have a session together, so we can get everything out in the open, and we don't continue on with secrets or feelings we're going to stew over. So is it a deal?' Kate sat and waited as Alexis thought about the offer.

'When does it start, the deal I mean, when does my time start?' the young woman asked hesitantly.

'It officially starts tomorrow. Tonight's a bonus,' Kate smiled.

'And you'll be here in the morning?'

'I'll be here in the morning,' Kate assured. 'So what do you want to do tonight?'

Kate blushed at the look of adoration Alexis was giving her, and silently thanked Doctor Burke. 'Right now, I'm going to bed,' Alexis yawned. 'As much as I want to stay here and talk to you, you and dad need each other tonight, you guys need to reconnect,' Alexis blushed. 'So my time starts tomorrow morning okay? You can help me move all my stuff back from Grams',' Kate felt her heart swell with unconditional love at the unselfish nature of her daughter.

'OK,' Kate whispered and pulled Alexis into her arms again. 'I love you,' Kate struggled to keep the tears from her voice, but was quickly fading.

'I love you too...and Kate?'

'Yeah sweetie?'

'Thank you for coming home.'

'Always.'


End file.
